Protector.



A. G. ALEXANDER.

'PROTEGTOR.

APPLIOATION FILED OUT. 1. 1909.

951,930, Patented Mar. 15, 1910.

-UNITED @ATEEd EPATEN @FFICE.

ALFRED C. ALEXANDER, OF JUDA, -WISCONSIN.

PROTECTOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED C. ALEX- ANDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Juda, in the county of Green and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Protector, of which the following is a specification.

The improved device forming the subject matter of this application for Letters Patent is adapted to be assembled removably, with the bit and the throat-latch of a bridle to protect the lower portion of the head of adraft animal, between the lower jaw and the neck, against the inroads of botfiies and the like.

The drawings show but one form of the invention and it is to be understood that changes, falling within the scope of what is claimed, may be made, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings,Figure l is a bottom plan; Fig. 2 is a perspective showing the device in its normal position, parts being removed; and Fig. 3 is a section on the line AB of Fig. 1, showing the body flattened out and the resilient member 3 in abnormal position.

The invention includes a body 1 which may be described roughly as being triangular in shape, the point of the triangle being blunted, as denoted by the numeral 2. Adjacent the base 9 of the body, the same is provided upon its lower surface with longitudinally extending keepers 7 adapted to receive the throat latch 8 of a bridle. The resilient cross strip 3 is provided, clownwardly convexed intermediate its ends, and rivets 4, or other common attaching means, are passed through the strip adjacent its ends, whereby the strip may be mounted transversely of the body 1 adjacent the blunt point 2 thereof. The material from which the cross strip 3 is fashioned, may be varied greatly. I have employed a strip of stiff leather to advantage; but, if desired, a thin plate of resilient metal might be used, these matters being details which will readily suggest themselves to any skilled mechanic. The strip 3 is somewhat shorter than the width of the body 1 measuring across the blunt point 2, so that portions 10 of the body extend beyond the ends of the strip 3, these portions 10 being adapted to receive and to retain against contact with the head of the draft animal, snap-hooks 6 or the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 1, 1909.

Patented Mar. 15, 1910.

Serial No. 520,542.

like, the adjacent ends of which are pivotally connected with the ends of the strip 3, the strip being bent upon itself and terminally secured by means of the rivets 4.

The throat latch of a bridle is adapted to be inserted in the keepers 7 and the snap hooks 6 are adapted to be engagedby the rings of the bit. Owing to the resiliency and to the curved construction of the strip 3, the body 1 of the device is normally held in the arcuate form shown in Fig. 2, thereby protecting adequately the lower jaw and throat of the animal.

The throat latch serves to uphold the base 9 of the body, and owing to the resiliency and form of the strip 3, the same is adapted to hold the body 1 at its blunt end 2 in position, even though but one of the snaps 6 is in engagement with a ring of the bit.

It is to be understood that the body 1 of the device is fashioned from a yieldable material such as leather, and I regard it as of importance, that the snap-hooks 6 are connected, not with the body, from which they might accidentally be torn, but with the ends of the strip 3, the latter, when the device is in use, receiving any strains due to the attachment of the snap-hooks 6 to the rings of the bit, this feature being clearly disclosed in Fig. 1.

Having thus described my invent-ion, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 2- In a device of the class described, a yield able body; a resilient cross strip disposed upon the body adjacent one end thereof and downwardly convex-ed in its intermediate portion, the extremities of the cross strip being back bent toward the intermediate portion thereof and disposed between the cross strip and the body to form eyes; re taining members extending through the intermediate portion of the cross strip, through the extremities thereof and through the body; hooks mounted in the eyes of the cross strip; and means carried by the body adjacent its other end, for engagementwith the throat-latch of a bridle.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED C. ALEXANDER.

\Vit-nesses C. H. HALL, J. L. MILLER. 

